* Pakistan, UK believe Afghan government institutions lack capacity to serve masses

By Tahir Niaz
Pakistani newspaper(Daily the Times)

ISLAMABAD: Institutional capacity of the Afghanistan government and the capacity and sustainability of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in the post-2014 scenario has been a major concern for the allies in the war against terrorism.

According to foreign office sources, the two major allies in war against terrorism, Pakistan and the UK, are very much concerned about peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, which, they believe, is directly linked with institutional capacity of the Afghanistan government and sustainability of the ANSF.

The sources said that regional security and the Afghanistan issue was on top of the agenda during the third round of the Pakistan-UK National Security Dialogue held here last month. During the talks, the two sides discussed regional security in view of post-2014 scenario in Afghanistan. The two sides specifically discussed the institutional capacity of the Afghanistan government, the capacity and sustainability of the Afghan National Security Forces and availability of economic and financial resources for Afghanistan.

The two major allies believed that majority of the national and local government institutions in Afghanistan lacked the capacity to deliver services to the masses and provide a basic framework of human security as even Afghan government agencies rely on civil society organisations to serve in the place of government. They were of the view that to enjoy development, peace, democracy and good governance, Afghanistan being the post-conflict nation would have to try harder than those who had never suffered devastating wars.

They believed that emerging out of the long war, disputes and terrorism, Afghanistan was hugely dependent on foreign aides to run its administrations and provide basic services to the people.

Pakistan has decided that it would contribute to peace and stability in Afghanistan following the parliamentary guidelines of April 12, 2012 for revised terms of engagement with the US/NATO/ISAF and general foreign policy.

It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is visiting Afghanistan today (Friday) to negotiate the Afghan reconciliation process. However, consistent attacks from across the Afghan border on Pakistan’s security forces inside Pakistan, which questions the capacity of Afghan National Security Forces’ capacity, would be major concern to be expressed by the Pakistani side during the talks.

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